Crop Insurance Tips & Hints

Remember to look at all the levels of crop insurance when reviewing a crop insurance quote. The U.S. Government subsidizes all the various levels of crop insurance, thus making the crop insurance very affordable. For example, at the 60% crop level at 100% of the market price, the U.S. Government pays 64% of the farmer’s insurance premium and the farmer pays the other 36% of the premium plus the $30 administrative fee.
Work with a crop insurance agent that provides all the available levels of crop insurance coverage. It is very important for you to pick the level of coverage that best fits the needs of your farm operation.
A farmer with one or more years of low yields should ask about the “Yield Adjustment Option”. This option allows a figure equal to 60% of the county average yield to be substituted for one or more years with low yields.
Keep and read the policy and crop provisions for the crop(s) that you insure. Start a filing system so you can maintain all the important crop insurance paperwork.
Each year, a farmer has the option of changing the level of coverage as long as this decision is made by the sales closing date. If no change is made, then the farmer is signed up for the same level of coverage as he/she had last year.
Always keep accurate production records. Farmers are required to keep accurate records and crop insurance companies may ask to see such records from time to time. The following types of “hard copy” are acceptable: 1) farm management records, 2) FSA records, 3) FCIC or MPCI company records, 4) elevator or warehouse receipts and 5) farm stored production.
For spring crops, your actual production history (APH) can include up to 10 continuous years of ACTUAL PLANTED yield history.

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